“Being transparent on our channel isn’t what matters; it matters that [people are] transparent with the right people in their daily lives.”
- Hannah Williams, Salary Transparent Street
As the founder of Salary Transparent Street, Hannah Williams is known for asking others to spill the tea on a fairly taboo topic — salary. Williams brought the same realness as her social media channels to a Glassdoor Community Hot Seat session to answer professionals' burning questions. When the tables were turned, she opened up about her own journey without hesitation.
From underrated tactics for getting paid what you're worth to her biggest motivators for salary transparency, Williams covered (and uncovered) many valuable tips for job seekers.
Here are four of the most surprising gems from her conversation.
- Your lack of experience or knowledge on a topic shouldn’t stop you from pursuing a career in it.
Before starting Salary Transparent Street, Williams had just learned that she was significantly underpaid as a senior data analyst. Despite knowing little about how to advocate for herself, she set her sights on bringing awareness to others.
“I had never been taught to negotiate or do market research in school, and no one talked about how much they made, so I realized all workers were in a losing battle to make what we deserve in this system. I wanted to change that,” said Williams.
- Fears about what others might think are often barriers to sharing salaries.
When Williams asks strangers on the street, “How much do you make?” unsurprisingly, not everyone is willing to divulge. From a cultural perspective, Williams noted, it usually breaks down to one or more of these four factors that prevent many from sharing.
- Cultural differences
- They’re in the midst of looking for a job and are scared the wrong person will use what they’re currently making against them (this happens, it’s the reason why pay history bans exist in some states!)
- Fear that family or friends will see
- Not wanting to be on social media
- There’s an easy, high-value but often underused salary tactic for interviews.
Williams said asking for the budget in the first interview is a salary negotiation hack you should keep in your arsenal. She continued, “Or, if the pay range is already provided in the job listing, ask what the top of the range is and what skills qualified workers would need to reach that. This will give you a good idea of where you stand in regard to their budget and insight into what the company is looking for to help you make your ask!”
- Employees are still in the driver’s seat — it just looks different.
Community members wondered, “Can we still advocate for ourselves in this market?” Williams’ answer was inspiring. “Yes, but it’s fluctuated a lot in just the last 10 years! It’s always going to ebb and flow because the worker economy reflects the general economy, so don’t compromise your values or what you know you’re worth!
Follow Hannah Williams on Glassdoor Community for more advice.